swain



( No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1...

A, U. SWAIN.

v GAS MACHINE.

No. 368,982. Patented Aug.-30, 1887.

Q anve'wlfoz N. PETERS PholbLflhognpMr. Washingtm 9.6-

I (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. 0. SWAIN.

I GAS MAGHINEL No. 368,982. Patented Aug. 30, 1887 h j W Q Q l F] H i I I F W I Q m P9 V 1! Ti] 1X h wooeo I awvewtoz g v r a zaz mm; f5m i E N. PETERS. PbclwULhagnpMr. Walhlnglun. I10- (No Model.)

4 She ets-Sh eet a. A. G. SWAIN.

GAS MAGHINB.

Patented Aug. 30, 1887.

Witmeooea n4 PETERS, PbOlo-mhognphnr. Wznnmllnn. 1m;

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A. O. SWAIN.

GAS MACHINE.

No. 368,982. Patented Aug. 30, 1887...

n. PETERS. Pholu-Uflwgrapher. winm ac o jacket;

UNITED STATES PATENT APIAUS OLAUDIUS SWAIN, or MEROED, CALIFORNIA.

GASMACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,982, dated August 30, 1887.

Application filed Angust10,1886. SeriulNo. 210,546. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, APIAUS CLAUDIUS SWAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Merced, in the county of Merced and State of California have invented anew and useful Improvementin the Method of and Apparatus for Manufacturing llluminatingGas, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in gas-machines; and the object of my invention is to provide a machine adapted to make an illuminating-gas from a mixture of gasoline vapor and atmospheric air which is capable of being stored in a suitable reservoir or gasometer and of being forced through gas-pipes to any desired distance without appreciably reducing its pressure oraffecting its illuminating qualities.

To this end my invention consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention further consists -in the method of forcing gasoline under pressure into retorts containing heated air, and mixing the vapor thus formed with atmospheric air in suitable proportions to produce an illu minating-gas.

In the drawings, Figurel is an elevation of a gas-machine embodying my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same. Fig.

3 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken on the line a; x of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line y y of Fig. 2.

Arepresents a pair of retorts comprising each a vertical cylindrical jacket, 13, made of sheet or plate metal, and provided with a top, 0, which is bolted on the'upper end of the A packing of asbestus, D, is placed between the upper end of each jacket and the cap. Through the center of each retort extends a vertical pipe, E. These pipes E have their lower ends, which extend nearly to the bottom of the retorts, open, and thereby communicate with the lower sides of the retorts. Surrounding each pipe E, near the upper end thereof, is an encompassing or enveloping pipe, F, which extends upwardly above the top of the retort and downwardly therein for a suitable distance. The lower end of the pipe F communicates with cylindrical baskets G, which are made of sheet metal and are provided near their upper ends with a series of escape-openings, g. The said baskets are maintained in the upper portion of the retort.

H represents a horizontal pipe, which connects the upper ends of the pipes 11 From the center of the pipe H extends a horizontal branch pipe, I, and on each side of the said branch pipe in the pipe H is located a stopcock, K.

The upper ends of the pipes F are closed, and the lower ends of the said pipes communicate with the upper portions of the baskets G. From the upper end of' the pipes F extend horizontal branch pipes L, which communicate with the upper ends. of vertical depending pipes M. The lower ends of the said pipes M are closed, and in the said pipes are located vertical pipes N, the lower ends of which are open and communicate with the lower ends of the pipes M.

0 represents a horizontal pipe which connects the upper ends of the pipes N. From the center of the pipe 0 extends a pipe, P, and on each side of the said pipe P in the pipe 0 is located a stop-cock, B. On the outer sides of the stop-cocks in the pipe 0 are located outwardly-opening check-valves S.

T represents a pipe which extends from the pipe L of the right-hand retort to the pipe H, communicating with the latter on the left-hand side of the left-hand stop-cock K. In the said pipe P is located astop-cock or globe-valve, U.

The pipe I communicates with a horizontal pipe, V, which is located between the pipesH and O. The said pipe V is provided at one end with a vertical pipe, W, having its lower and upper ends closed. Inside the pipe Wis located a vertical pipe, W, the upper and lower ends of which areopen, and the upper end of the said pipe projects abovethe upper end of the pipe W and carries a pressure-indicating gage, W which may be of any suitable preferred construction. From the pipe V, near the pipe WV, extends a branch pipe, X, which communicates with a vertical pipe, Y. The said pipe Y is provided near itslower end with a stop-cock or globe-valve, Y, and to the upper end of the said pipe Y is attached a safety escape-valve, Y

Z represents a pipe which extends from the upper end of the pipe W' and communicates with the pipe Y between the pipe X and the safety-valve Y and in the said pipe Z, between the pipes \V and Y, is located a stopcock, Z.

or represents a pipe which extends from the pipe Y to the upper end of a tank or reservoir, b, which contains gasoline. The pipe a is provided with a check-valve, c. The pipe I, which extends upwardly from the pipe 0, is connected to the lower side of the gasolinetank.

The outer end of the pipe Z is provided with a nozzle, (2, and the said pipe is also provided with a stopcock or globe-Valve, c. To the outer end of the pipe V is attached a T-coupling, f, which surrounds the nozzle d and from which depends a vertical pipe, h, the lower end of which is open. Near the lower end. of the pipe It is a stopcock, i, and above the said stop-cock in the pipe h is an upwardly-oped ing check-valve, k.

I represents a pipe which extends from the outer end of the T-couplingf and communicates with a gasometer, m, from which extends the delivery-pipe it.

Below each retort is located a gas-stove, 0, the said gas-stoves being connected with a supply-pipe, p, which extends from the gasome' ter. The said pipe is provided with valves or stop-cocks r, by which communication may be cut off between the said pipes and either or both of the gas-stoves.

The operation of my invention and my method of making illuminating-gas are as follows: Supposing that the gasometer is charged with stored gas at asuitable pressure, the first step in the operation of the machine is to light the burners of the stoves o and cause the heat from the same to thoroughly heat the jackets of the retorts. This requires aboutfifteen minutes time. The valves R in the pipe P are then opened, causing a quantity of gasoline to flow from the gasoline-tank through the pipes O and Pandthrough thepipesNinto thevertical pipes M, in which it rises until it reaches the pipeL, and from thence passes downwardly through the pipes F into the baskets G. As the said baskets have been heated by hot air in the jackets B, the gasoline is vaporized when it comes in contact with the said baskets, and the vapor escapes through the openings 9 into the jackets of the retorts, in which it is superheated. The gasoline-vapor then passes upwardly through the pipes E and the pipes I and H into the pipe V, in which pipe it exerts a pressure both ways. The stop-cock e is kept closed until the gage W indicates a pressure of forty or fifty pounds. A portion of the vapor finds its way through the pipe a into the top of the gasoline-tank and exerts a sufficient pressure on the gasoline therein to cause a continuous flow of gasoline to be maintained through the pipes into the retorts, as previously described. \Vhen the vapor in the retorts is at a suitable pressure, the stopcock 0 is opened, and the stop-cock tin the pipes h is also opened to a suitable extent. As

the vapor escapes from the pipe V through the nozzle d, it creates a partial vacuum in the pipe h, thereby sucking a quantity of atmospheric air upwardly through the pipe h, and this air becomes mixed with the gasoline-vapor in the pipe Z and forms an illuminating-gas of great purity, uniform pressure, and great candle-power. The gas is discharged from the pipe Z into the gasometer or exhauster m, from whence it is carried by the pipe n to the service-pipes and used, By means of the stopcock i any quantity of air desired may be mixed with the gasoline-vapor, and thus any quality of gas that may be desired can be obtained,

In the event that the flow of gasoline from the tank should be interrupted for any reason, the check-valves S in the pipe 0 will be instantly closed by the back-pressure of the vapor, and thus prevent the said baclepressure from passing through the pipe Pinto the bottom of the gasolinetank. The function of the valves Y is to prevent an undue pressure of 0 gas from being maintained in the retorts, and thus avoid the possibility of an explosion. The pipe Y is an escape-pipe to be used when making repairs while the pressure of gas is maintained in the machine.

When a very fine quality of gasoline is used, I close the right-hand stop-cock, K, and open the stopcock U in the pipe I. This causes the gasoline to be first fed to the left-hand retort, in the manner hereinbefore described,and there vaporized, and from thence forced through the pipe T into the right-hand retort and there superheated before being fed to the pipe V. This causes all of the gasoline to be vaporized into gas, and entirely prevents waste or loss of the gasoline. I am thus enabled to make an illuminating-gas out of any quality of gasoline, and the gas manufactured by this machine is of an even quality, very pure, of an even temperature, and is not more liable to freeze or condense than is the best of coal-gas.

Another advantage gained by a machine thus constructed is that there is no residue left in the machine, as all the gasoline is utilized in making the gas. The stoves 0, which consume gas generated by this machine, burn without soot or smoke, and thus there is no necessity for providing chimneys or pipes which convey away the products of combustion.

In a small gas-machine which I have constructed and used for the past six months I have made five thousand cubic feet of twentyeight-candle power gas per hour with ease, and at a cost of about sixty cents per thousand fcet, which is very much less than the cost of the best eoal-gas.

A gas -machine thus constructed is cheap and simple, can be run very economically, will manufacture a superior quality of gas at a very low cost, and is not likely to explode.

I am aware that it has been heretofore proposed to utilize coal-tar as fuel by forcing the same, in the form of spray, into a combustionchamber in which active combustion is maintained; but such is not my invention, and this I disclaim.

I am also aware that ithas been heretofore tort, and the pipe F, communicating with the basket to introduce gasoline thereto, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for manufacturing gas, the combination of the retort, the vertical outletpipe E, extending into the retort and communicating with the lower end thereof, the inletpipeF, surrounding the upper portion of the pipe E, and the perforated basket attached to the lower end of the pipe F, communicating therewith and located in the retort-,substantially as described.

3. In apparatus for manufacturing gas, the combination, with the retort, of the inlet-pipe having the communicating depending pipeM, closed at both ends, and the pipe N, extending tothe bottom of the pipe M and communicating therewith, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for manufacturing gas, the combination of the generating-chambers and means for heating the same, the gasolinetank, pipes respectively from the upper and lower portions of the tank to the generatingchambers, and provided with check-valves,as described, and a pipe, E, basket, and pipe F, leading from the same, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for making gas, the combination of the generatingretorts and means for heating the same, of a supply-tank communicating at its upper and lower portions with said generating-chambers, a vapor-pipe, V, leading from said chambers, and an airpipe communicating with the vapor-pipe, substantially as set forth.

6. In an apparatus for making gas, the combination of the generating-chambers and means for heating the same, spraying-basket located therein, a supplytank communicating with said basket, and a pipe communicating with the upper portion of the tank and leading to the generating-chambers, and a pipe, V, leading from said chambers and terminating in a nozzle, a chamber surrounding said nozzle,and a pipe intersecting the same, substantially as set forth.

7. In an apparatus for making gas, the combination of the generating-chambers and means for heating the same, a vaporizing-basket located therein, a 'supplytank communicating with said basket, the vapor-pipeV, leading from said chambers, the mixing-chamber f, the air-pipe communicating with said chamber, the pipe Z, leading therefrom, and the gasometer or exhauster communicating with the pipe Z, substantially as set forth.

8. In an apparatus for manufacturing gas, the combination of the generating-chambers, basket therein, inlet and outlet pipes therefor, the pipe H, connecting'the inlet-pipes of the chambers and having stop-cocks K, and the pipe v'1, leading from the inlet-pipe of one chamber and to the pipe H and having the cock U, substantially as set forth.

9. In apparatus for manufacturing gas, the combination of the retorts having the inletpipes and the outlet-pipes, the pipe H, connecting theinlet-pipes of the retorts and having the stop-cocks K, and the pipe (1, leading from the inlet-pipe of one retort to the pipe H andhaving the stopcock U, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownI have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

APIAUS OLAUDIUS SWAIN.

Witnesses:

CALEB COAKLEY, LoUIs KOSSOUTH DECKER. 

